Improvement in steam-engine governors



Uivrrnn @raras AARON K. KLINE, OF READINGT'ON, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-ENGINE GOVERNORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,109, dated November 21, 1871.

My invention consists in the improvement of governors for steam-engines, as hereinafter fully described and subsequently pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved governor with some parts sectioned. Fig. 2 is a,

partial elevation taken in a plane perpendicular to that of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a face view of the wheel employed for taking the motion from the vertical shaft. Fig. 4i is a section on line w av of Fig. 1.

A is the vertical shaft of the governor, carrying the vibrating weighted arms B and the rod (l for shifting the gearwheels D on it, to connect and disconnect with the wheel E, which actuates the valve. Commonly these wheels D, with their connecting sleeve F, are in the form of a threadspool, whose iianges are beveled upon the inner i edges and sides to form the faces for acting in conjunction with the wheel E beveled on its periphery. This arrangement necessitates the making of the said working faces considerably larger in diameter than the diameter of the sleeve F, and said sleeve must be long enough to have wheel E between wheel D; consequently the wheel E must be correspondingly increased in diameter above what it will have to be to get a given speed of movement on the valve-stem when the wheels D are made according to my plan and gear with the inner face of the rim of wheel E, in which plan the shaft A is the limit of the diminution of said wheels D; and they may be placed as close together, or the sleeve F may be shortened as much as preferred, thus greatly re ducin g the amount of metal required for them; also providing an arrangement by which the speed ofthe valve may be greatly reduced with a comparatively small wheel, E. N ow, as it is highly important to have a very slow motion on the valve or the devices actuating it, or at least a motion much slower than the weighted arms, this arrangement is of considerable importance, besides the economy of metal it admits of. The beveled face Gr of wheel E extends but little more than halfway round the wheel, and a movement of said wheel a little greater than the length of the face will shift the valve om end to end of its movement, so that when it is wholly shut the face G will pass beyond the wheel D, which would act upon it at that time to open it 5 also when fully opened the wheel D, which would then act upon it to close it, will not then affect it, so that in case it is desired to run the governor at higher speed than it is set for, it can be readily done by turning the wheel E by hand beyond thewheel D in this manner. Said wheel E will then have to be readjusted by hand when it is required to be again subject to the wheels D. For shifting the governor for different speeds I mount the shaft of wheel E and the crank I, which connect with the valve-stem on a block., K, fitted on post L to slide up and down on it, and provide the said slide with an adjusting screw, M, so arranged with it and with the post that the said block may be raised or lowered at will. By raising it the wheel E will act upon the lower wheel D and carry it np, forcing the balls down, so that in swinging outward under motion they will act longer upon the valve in opening it, and consequently open it wider than when said wheel E is lower, in which direction it is adjusted for a slow speed. To effect the closing of i the valve,in case the belt O which drives the governor breaks or runs oli', l arrange the shaft P in a bearing, Q, out of which it will fall when said belt fails to hold it in by breaking or running off, and I connect the shaft P with a pulley,

R, on` the shaft of wheel E by a cord, S,so wound upon said pulley that the falling shaft P with its pulley will turn the crank I and close the valve. This pulley R is made fast to the shaft by a setscrew, T, which admitsy of adjusting it as the wheel E is raised higher or lower to let out or take up the cord S, as made necessary by such changing of wheel E. The collar V, by which the cord is connected to shaft P, is loose on said shaft to allow it to turn without turning the co1- lar. X is a spring which I combine with the wheel E to prevent it from being turned by momentnm when the wheels D are disconnected, said spring bearing on it with sufficient pressur t0 have friction enough to overcome the momentum.

Having thus described my invention, I elaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination, With the governor-shaft A provided with pivoted and Weighted arlns B, and with rod C raised and lowered by said arms, of the gears D D E, when the overlapping Wheel E has a beveled face, G, but little more than half Way round its inner projecting surface, so that, by turning the said face G, the Wheels D and E may be disconnected at pleasure.

2. The combination, With governor-shaftAprovided with pivoted and Weighted arms B, movable rod C, and Wheels D D, of the overlapping Wheel E when supported in adjustable bearing K, to allou7 the gears to be moved up, the are traveled over by the Weighted arms to be increased, and the throw of the valve-crank I to be augmented, as specified.

3. The shafts A P, their connecting gear, the pulley on the end of said shaft P, the belt O which passes over said pulley and another pulley driven by the engine, when said shaft l? is arranged in open bearings and only held therein by the said belt 0, as described, so that when the said belt breaks or runs oil' the governor will cease to operate.

4. The combination, with governor-shaft A and its driving-shaft P arranged in open bearings, of the loose collar U on said shaft P, the belt S, and the pulley R on the shaft of Wheel E, as described, so that when said governor shall cease to operate the said Wheel E will be turned to close the valve.

5. The combination, withwheel, E of the spring X, arranged to bear thereon with sufcient friction to prevent the said Wheel being carried by its acquired momentum beyond its proper distance, as described.

AARON K. KLINE.

Witnesses:

HENRY K. VAN DoREN,

J ORN T. B. SGHOMP. (69) 

